The purpose of this application is to request funds in the amount of $8,000 to help organize and execute the 15th International Biomaterials Symposium to be held at Birmingham, Alabama, April 27 - May, 1983. This Symposium is the oldest continuous and most prestigious open conference in the world dealing with the broad spectrum of biomaterials. Since its inception at Clemson University in 1969, it has become the primary forum of international liaison, information exchange, and state-of-the-art development in the field of biomaterials. Attesting to this is the strong representation from most of Western Europe, Central and South America, Japan, Australia, India, Canada, and the Middle East. Nearly all of the areas in modern biomaterials research have been covered during past symposia through the mix of contributed and invited papers. To maintain this quality which keeps leading researchers returning year after year, features of previous meetings will be continued. This includes invited plenary papers by outstanding researchers in several areas, each of which will be followed by a group of submitted papers organized into a related thematic session. The plenary speakers will be selected to present topics in dental, orthopaedic and cardiovascular biomaterials. In addition, there will be a series of sessions concerning the characterization of biomaterials and tissues. Special sessions concerning regulations, patents, and research funding are also planned. Clinical applications of biomaterials in otolaryngology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery and neurosurgery are to be included. All the submitted papers will be subjected to a blind review system; accepted Papers, either for oral or poster presentation, will be collected in a printed Transactions volume. The sponsor(s) will be prominently acknowledged in all printed matter such as the program, transactions and the announcements in technical journals in the U.S. and abroad.